The state of the nation is good!

“Gross National Income or GNI per capita also grew by 4.8 percent in 2017, exceeding the National Economic and Development Authority target of 4.5 percent for the year.

Today, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte takes center stage as he delivers his third annual State of the Nation Address (SoNA) to the Filipino people. The first two years of the Duterte administration have truly been eventful. On many occasions, challenges have tested our patience, resilience and resolve. Yet we prevailed and are now on our way to fulfilling our inherent greatness as a nation. All the important numbers attest to this.

We have a roaring economy, with a high and stable GDP growth rate of 6.7 percent in 2017. In the first quarter of this year, we recorded a growth rate of 6.8 percent, beating many targets and projections.

Gross National Income or GNI per capita also grew by 4.8 percent in 2017, exceeding the National Economic and Development Authority target of 4.5 percent for the year.

The government’s massive infrastructure program called Build, Build, Build should contribute to this growth in the coming years. The country is expected to spend as much as seven percent of GDP on public infrastructure which is sure to create even more jobs and opportunities.

The quality of jobs being generated all over the country is also improving. Underemployment rate has shown a declining trend in areas outside the National Capital Region and is at 17.4 percent in 2017, down from 19.7 percent the previous year.

Even international credit watcher Fitch Ratings affirmed the strength of our economy. Just recently, it retained the Philippines’ investment grade rating as the country remains one of the “fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region.” The 2017 Global Innovation Index Report has also branded the country as one of the new Asian Tigers and leaders in ICT service exports in Southeast Asia.

In 2017, a Nielsen study entitled “Global Survey of Consumer Confidence and Spending Intentions” revealed that Filipinos are the most optimistic consumers in the world. The 2018 MasterCard Index of Consumer Confidence also shows that Filipinos are the most optimistic among all citizens of the Asia-Pacific region.

Filipinos also feel more democratically empowered today than they were many years ago. In the 2018 Democracy Perception Index by Dalia Research, Filipinos came out on top when asked the question, “Do you feel that the voice of people like you matters in politics?” The result of this survey belies the claim of some groups that democracy in the country is being threatened.

For many years, the elite have concentrated political power and economic wealth into their own hands and called it democracy. Now that President Duterte has brought all of these back into the hands of the people, the elite have begun proclaiming the “demise” of democracy in the Philippines. But the truth is, democracy does not die just because you stop getting what you want. The elite must learn to share power and wealth which is how it should be in a real democracy.

“For many years, the elite have concentrated political power and economic wealth into their own hands.

The holier-than-thou may not like the way he speaks, or his personality, but the fact remains: The state of the nation is good and it is all because we have a strong, decisive and compassionate leader like President Rodrigo Duterte.

Needless to say, the President takes inspiration from all of these empirically validated good news which is why he continues to perform and work hard in the service of the nation. Expect President Duterte to lay down his plans to sustain our many gains over the past two years during the main event, this afternoon, at the SoNA.

Blast from the past: On July 23, 1864, Apolinario Mabini was born in Tanauan, Batangas. He was chief adviser to General Emilio Aguinaldo during the revolution and served as prime minister, foreign minister and leader of the Cabinet when Aguinaldo later became president.

He is famously known as the “Sublime Paralytic” and the “Brains of the Revolution” for his superior intelligence and keen mind. Despite having lost the use of his both legs after being struck with polio, Mabini remained actively involved in the country’s struggles against Spain and America. His works have greatly shaped the development of the First Philippine Republic.

Mabini Hall, the main administrative building in the Malacañang Palace Compound and considered as the nerve center of the Executive Branch of government, is named after him.

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